A new kind of metrics: steps forward in faith

The post below is by Randy Lovejoy, pastor of Silverlake Community Church. I had an opportunity to use a different metric for ministry this past week.  This Sunday we had an unusual convergence in our worship service.  Not only did adults and youth join.  Not only did...

Form vs. function

Instead of thinking about what meetings people are going to, think about how a disciple lives. There are processes and there are behaviors. By focusing on the behaviors (the function) instead of the processes (the form), we get the results we are looking for. Let’s...

The big picture of the missional journey

As we encourage our people to engage culture, they will form missional communities. Out of those missional communities, we will develop leaders. With those leaders, we will multiply movements. These four areas together make up what I call “the missional journey.”...

Anger management

Recently I’ve started teaching a class on anger management for teenage moms at a local high school. Parenting is hard enough even when you have all you need.  Doing it under less than ideal circumstances is even more challenging.  There are some young women taking...

Lost in translation

When the Chevy Nova was released in Latin America, it didn’t sell well at all.  Turns out that Nova in Spanish—or “no va”—means “it doesn’t go.”  Not a good name for a car. No wonder sales were dismal. In the same way, when you are doing ministry in another culture,...

Presence ministry

Early on in his ministry, Ray Bakke realized that if he was to be a true urban pastor he would have to live among those he ministered to. As a result he and his family have lived for many decades in rented apartments in inner city Chicago. John Hayes, who lives among...